Kawena Elkington
Name Kawena Elkington
Age 29
Town/Moku Koʻolaupoko
Island Oʻahu
Social Media Handle @mekawenaula
Nominated by Max Mukai
Leadership Category Mālama ʻĀina - Environmental Sustainability
Share with us a little about yourself and what you do.
Born and raised in Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu, my childhood was shaped by ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi from attending Kula Kaiapuni, and relationship-building to place. This fostered a dedication to ʻāina and perpetuating ʻike Hawaiʻi. I am currently a part of a research lab in Kamakakūokalani led by Dr. Kamanamaikalani Beamer, where we focus on advocating for the transition to a sustainable economic system in Hawaiʻi inspired by aloha ʻāina and the Circular Economy through multiple avenues, including building community capacity, international networking, education, and policy.
Why is the work that you do important to you? The community?
A basic definition of economic development is a community's goals of achieving economic well-being and quality of life. Capitalism and colonialism has caused the genocide of indigenous community members and environments all over the world. We are forced to operate within these exploitative and destructive economies, and it is important to embrace the knowledge passed to us by our kūpuna to inspire change and envision transitions grounded in indigenous cultural values. Kānaka ʻŌiwi ideas of economic development would place ʻāina at the forefront, putting into practice economic processes that uplift a relationship of respect for the environment, require stewardship of natural resources, and ensure community well-being.
Share with us the qualities of leadership you admire and how you express those in your life.
Leadership qualities I admire are relationship building, advocacy, and collectivism. The kuleana of a leader includes amplifying the voices of community members, whose beliefs are learned through meaningful processes of relationship building. This also requires navigating how to do so in unsupportive realms, like government structures. While I am still early in my leadership journey, I strive to express these by making key connections, listening, learning, communicating clearly, and striving to do my best in every situation, keeping in mind the ultimate goal of dismantling systems that harm our communities while promoting self-determination and native governance.
Who has inspired you to do the work that you are doing?
I was first introduced to indigenous economics in a Mālama ʻĀina internship class, taught by Dr. Kekuewa Kikiloi at Kamakakūokalani during my undergrad at UH Mānoa. My project focused on indigenous ideas of economy practiced by my internship site, Hoʻoulu ʻĀina. Later, a seminar on Circular Economy taught by Dr. Kamana Beamer brought into perspective the idea of Hawaiʻi as a part of a global conversation of transitioning to sustainability, and aloha ʻāina as a philosophy has the potential to inform change not only here at home, but on a global scale.
What is one word that describes something you are excited about for the lāhui?
Governance
What is one word that describes a pressing issue that is facing our lāhui?
Environmental justice